Oakland Residents Needed to Testify in Housing Court on February 23rd

Help Oakland eliminate slumlords by attending housing court hearings for 12 Dawson Court and 4512 Centre Avenue. Judges are proven to impose strict consequences on negligent landlords when they have community members in attendance at the hearing. Contact the Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force if you’d like to attend the hearing at oakwatch@opdc.org or 412.621.7863 ext. 27.

Click here to get details on the court hearing and the properties in violation.

Join OPDC’s Board and Staff for an Afternoon of Ice Skating

Oakland Planning and Development Corporation is inviting our community of neighbors, friends and family to a fun-filled afternoon of ice skating at the Schenley Park Ice Skating Rink on February 20th. This event is for our neighbors and those interested in what is going on in and around Oakland to meet, greet and just have fun!!

Click here to view the flyer for all the details!

Governor Corbett Acknowledges Transportation Crisis in Allegheny County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chris Sandvig, Regional Policy Manager, PCRG
412-391-6732, x208
412-728-3339

Pittsburgh, PA – In today’s budget address, Governor Tom Corbett acknowledged publicly, for the first time since the creation of his hand-picked funding commission, the need to address transportation funding.  We welcome his statement, and look forward to what may be recommended.  However, we hope that this solution includes the necessary funding for job-creating and sustaining transit operations. Without a solution, tens of thousands of taxpayers are stranded and our vaunted ACCESS system will be forced to abandon the most fragile of our neighbors.  And, we need it soon.

Transit is the lifeblood of Pennsylvania’s economic engines – its urban centers.  Cities create jobs and opportunities by clustering people together and giving them access to the free market of ideas.  That holds true today, and transit facilitates that exchange, creates access for those who otherwise can’t afford it, and generates revenue so that the state can support less dense areas.  Allegheny County, in particular, generates more sales tax for the state than any other county.  We’ve also fared much better over this recession, with jobless rates far below the state and national average.  Access to affordable mobility, via transit, played a role in that vitality and our region’s rebirth as the new ‘in’ place.  It has also been key to our neighborhood renaissance and attracting young talent to the region.  Generations X, Y and Millenials list transportation options as a key indicator about where they put down roots. For many of them, it’s an increasing necessity as wages continue to shrink.  It’s also not a coincidence that Google is adjacent to the second-most transit dense area in the County.

Some think that we are simply asking for a hand-out, and not looking to ourselves to fix our problems.  Nothing could be further from the truth.   The Port Authority has done more than any other major system, nationwide, to improve its productivity and rein in legacy costs.  Its 2009-10 system reorganization increased productivity by 50%, and future legacy costs growth was cut in half with a landmark union concession.  In fact, in spite of the March 15% service reduction, ridership actually grew 3%.  We must remain ever-vigilant of these costs and do what we can, in our back yard, to keep our house fit and trim, but it is time for the state to act.  Legally, there is not much more that can be done in Allegheny County and its residents have chipped in more than any other major urban region.

Governor Corbett is right – government should facilitate job creation, but minimize its intervention.  Transportation is a classic case where this can happen.  A growing chorus of small business, corporate, neighborhood, community, faith-based, labor, and public sector leaders stand united and ready to help with the solution, but the clock on Allegheny County’s economic viability is ticking.  September 2 is when region-killing transit cuts occur. Without a funding solution, we are left with an ever-shrinking transit system which will put increased burden on roads we can’t afford to fix, strand thousands of taxpayers and increase their household costs by thousands per year, and ultimately drives away the youth Pittsburgh so desperately needs to attract.  Even for drivers, this is an issue.  Reforms are needed, but we all are willing to do our part and so must the state. The $11.33/month that Governor Corbett’s hand-picked panel recommended more than makes up for the money we all will spend without a solution.  We thank Governor Corbett for taking leadership and hope that the solution comes soon and includes transit.

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Oakland Real Estate and the Tax Assessment

Oakland Home Sale Prices Continue to Climb

If you own a property in Oakland and aren’t quite sure how the latest tax assessment applies to you, check out the chart below for average market values of houses in Oakland’s various neighborhoods.  Knowing how your home’s assessment compares to what’s happening in the market may help you make a more informed decision on whether or not to appeal your assessment.

Additional Resources and Tips:

The city is encouraging residents to call the county or 311 for any questions about the tax assessment.  We also encourage those who have not already done so previously (you only need to do this once) to apply for the ACT 50 – Homestead Exemption, which reduces taxes for properties that are owner-occupied. Additionally, those over the age of 60 with an income below $30,000 can apply for ACT 77 – Senior Tax Relief.

Available Web Resources:

County Office of Property Assessment

2012 City of Pittsburgh Appeal Assistance

Tax Abatement and Exemptions Info/ Forms (Includes ACT 50 and 77): 

Also, check out this recent article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette which outlines the most recent information about the assessment appeals process.

Remember, the last day to request an informal hearing is February 15^th and the last day to file a formal appeal is April 2^nd.

You can also reach out to your councilperson for more information—click here to see who represents your district and how to contact them.

*OPDC compiled data based on 2008 sales transactions. Sales prices have grown by 6.5% per year throughout Oakland since 2000.

Bus Rapid Transit Project Debuts in Oakland

The “Get There Pgh!” Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) study is exploring how new bus service could shorten commute times and spur development between Downtown and Oakland.  OPDC welcomes the project as another way to improve transit access to and from Oakland as well as continue attracting new businesses, residents and visitors.

At the first of a series of public meetings, Darryl Phillips explained how the proposed system would improve transit service in the Downtown-Oakland-East End corridor. Phillips is Lead Traffic Engineer for Parsons Brinckerhoff, the firm conducting the study along with Port Authority and a committee of over 30 stakeholders that includes OPDC. “BRT has been proven to attract economic development in cities like Cleveland and Boston,” Phillips told attendees. “The goal is to bring the same ease of use of a subway system to the bus system here in Pittsburgh.”

A bustling employment center with a population of 20,000 and commuter population of 100,000, transportation is at the crux of Oakland’s quality of life. “We see BRT as a great opportunity not only for Oakland’s continued vitality, but for the revitalization of our neighbor communities like Uptown and the Hill District,” said OPDC’s Executive Director, Wanda Wilson. “We are working together to plan the best system to leverage development throughout the corridor.”  The diverse group of stakeholders that provided input for the Oakland 2025 Community Plan agree—they established transportation improvements as a top priority in the plan. OPDC will continue to partner with “Get There Pgh!” to achieve these goals and will engage the community every step of the way.

If you missed the BRT public meeting in January, you can view the presentation by clicking here.

Does Your Street Need More Trees?

Are you interested in planting and caring for trees in your neighborhood? Join TreeVitalize and Tree Pittsburgh for a short information session to learn how to apply for new trees to plant and organize events to care for trees. This session is open to City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County residents. Refreshments and a light dinner will be provided.

Join us:
Thursday, February 9th
6:00pm
Conservation Consultants Incorporated
64 South 14th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203-1548

Parking entrance may be accessed via 13th Street.

February 15th: Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force Public Meeting

Please join the Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force for their monthly meeting, held on the third Wednesday every month!

Mission: Reactivate the Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force and engage more community members to participate in enforcing codes on negligent landlords, housing violations, parking violations, disruptive behavior, excessive noise and underage drinking.

Date: Wednesday, February 15th
Time: 12pm – 1:30pm
Location: Forbes Tower, 3600 Meyran Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
11th Floor Board Room. Ask guard for elevator access to 11th floor. A complimentary lunch will be generously provided by UPMC.

After two months of dialogue sessions throughout Oakland, community members formed action teams to tackle issues they agreed to be top priorities for Oakland. One of these groups, the Oakland Code Enforcement Task Force, now meets the third Wednesday of every month and welcomes all to attend. If you miss a meeting, check this website regularly for posted minutes, announcements and other relevant materials.

February 20th: Rock Alley Public Meeting

Please join us for the Rock Alley monthly meeting!

Rock Alley Mission: Connect West Oakland, South Oakland, and the Business District with the Eliza Furnace Trail and 2nd Avenue.

Date: Monday, February 20th
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Location: Community Human Services, Community Room, 370 Lawn Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Enter from rear parking lot.

After two months of dialogue sessions throughout Oakland, community members formed action teams to tackle issues they agreed to be top priorities for Oakland. One of these groups, Rock Alley, now meets the third Monday each month at the Community Human Services building and welcomes all to attend.